PERFORMERS from a Bradford-based theatre company have received ‘standing ovations' at the Edinburgh Fringe festival after showcasing five of their plays.

A group of actors, directors and a tech team from the Bloomin’ Buds theatre company, based at the Rockwell Community centre, Eccleshill, ventured to Scotland's capital on August 1 for a month after raising £30,000 over the past year to pay for accommodation and to fund their projects.

Katie Mahon, owner of Bloomin' Buds, said she is “so pleased” the group got to go as it is the “best place to launch a performer’s career."

She said: “Everyone knows The Fringe is the place to get seen, so over the past 12 months the group had been fundraising to raise the funds to get it all together and we have been there for the past month.

“We have had really positive responses up here. We’ve had standing ovations, with 5 and 4-star reviews aplenty.”

Prior to the event, English actor, Sir Ian McKellen sent the group a letter to wish them good luck at the event.

“We received the note and we were just so excited. Sir McKellen was also going to the Fringe to perform in a Hamlet play so we just couldn’t wait to get there after that.”

The group put on five plays at the event;  A Young Girl's Guide to Madness - Writer and Actor - Charlotte Ellis, Director - Grace Wilkinson, Tech - Ellie Cansdale;  A Mighty Fall From Grace; Writer and Actor - Jake Thompson, Tech - Ellie Cansdale; Doll - Writer - Leah Hand, Actors - Leah Hand, Morgan Scriven, Lewis Frazer, Robert Blowman (community actor), Tech - Ellie Cansdale; Assigned -Writer - Georgina Jovanovic, Actors - Georgina Jovanovic, Bradley Patterson, Iona Wilkins, Tech - Ellie Cansdale; Broke Her -Writer - Luke Mosley, Actors - Jamie Phillips, Liam Duggan, Emily Lloyd, Tech: Iona Wilkins.

The Bloomin Bud’s theatre group took over the Rockwell Community centre earlier this year and hopes to turn it into an arts hub for the community.

“I came from a working-class family and I’ve always wanted to make sure the arts were accessible to everyone, so when the Rockwell Community centre became available, I just knew we had to take it on,” Katie added.